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Technology Stocks : Ascend Communications (ASND)
ASND 210.01+1.7%Nov 26 3:59 PM EST

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To: Bindusagar Reddy who wrote (56689)11/3/1998 1:56:00 PM
From: Hagar  Read Replies (2) of 61433
 
I am concerned about Ascends ability to move forward, let me outline my thinking.

1 - The build out of the new networks are in the initial stages where the fundamental aspects of them are are not set i.e. Pure IP over DWDM, ATM at the core, MPLS ...

2 - Ascends ability to execute in those areas are based on their business units in Westford (formerly Cascade) and Minn. (formerly Netstar). The market/technical visionaries from Westford are out of the picture (possibly driven out). The Minn. group failed to meet the market window (don't know reasons) so the jury is out there. Who has the vision now? I have seen no appointments that comfort me in this area. I have heard the presentations offered by both the previous Cascade people (Deshpande, Hassan Ahmed) and by Mory and Jeannette Symonds (CTO???) and I am actually nervous for Ascend's future.

3 - Announcements out of Alameda lately seem focused on reports of who is number one in what RAC/RAS/ATM markets. "Where's the beef?"

4 - Ascend's Dial in access seems focused, ATM and Frame Relay switching is well established but Ascend's IP story is murky at best. In an area that is possibly the forefront of the new networks, this confuses me. I see the Westford group focusing on "IP Switching" ala MPLS and the Minn. group doing Routing. Why isn't one platform doing both? Is one platform for the edge only and the other for the core only? While we are sort of on the subject of new product development, I have heard about the follow on to the largely unsuccessful GRF and some of their work on voice, but what else is there? It seems that the requisite amount of time has passed for the next RAC and core switch directions to be articulated to the public.

Wrapping up - For a company that has "worked" hard on their earnings picture I don't see what I think are the hard decisions being made. I don't see their future being articulated in terms of market and product. And I don't see replacements for their early visionaries.
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